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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. fine — all right
  8. wound — an injury
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. key — in music
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. key — for a lock
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com